Does PostgreSQL support a file load function

All:

I'm not yet a PostgreSQL user but I'm seriously considering using it for
my Linux DB apps.  I've been doing some research into it along with msql
and MySQL.  One of the things I haven't been able to find in the on-line
docs is whether or not PostgreSQL supports some kind of bulk file loader
utility to populate tables from delimited text files or other types of
files.

I'd be surprised if such functionality doesn't exit with PostgreSQL so
I'm assuming that I missed it somewhere in the rather complicated online
docs available via postgresql.org.  Could someone  shed some light on
this for me?

Additionally, is there any kind of book available on PostreSQL?  I've
heard O'Reilly is working on one but I've haven't seen anything yet.  Is
there anything else out there?

Thanks in advance!!!!

Bob Dilworth
Toledo, Ohio
dilworth@megsinet.net